Mail-catcher.



Patented Dec. 8, 1914,

P. C. PILBBRT.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED 113.25. 1914.

rNE Nol-m15 PETERS C0., PHOTO LITHO.. WASHING ION4 D. C.

-ATEN i,

PETER C. FILBERT, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

lVIAIL-.CATCHER razonar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed. February 25, 1914. Serial No. 820,945.

fl 10 all Iwhom it may concern Be it known that I, Peron C. FlLnn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State o1' California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Catchers, o1' which the Ytollowing is a specitication.

This invention relates to a mail catcher, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which may be mounted adjacent the railroad track which will receive the mail sack and protect the sack from the weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of receptacle having pivotally mounted therein a resilient abut-` ment which limits the passage oi' the sack through the receptacle and prevents the sack from striking the bottom ot' the receptacle with a violent blow.

Anotherl object ol the invention is to provide improved guide ways for guiding the sack into the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of cover for the receptacle, the cover being held in place by the rod which supports the pivotally mounted bumper.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the mail catcher; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mail catcher; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through the mail catcher' taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The body portion 10 of this receptacle which forms the chamber in which the mail bag 11 passes is supported by the legs or standards 12 and has its end walls provided with outwardly-extendingsupportingflanges 13. The side walls of the body portions extend above the end walls and form flanges 14 which prevent the superstructure of the receptacle from moving transversely upon the body portion. This superstructure or frame 15 rests upon the flanges 13 and has its bottom provided with an opening through which the mail sack may pass in order to drop into the body portion 10. The end walls o'l' the superstructure are provided with inlet openings and the side walls are carried above the end walls with their upper end portions tapered thus constituting bearings t'or the pivot rod 16. The cover 17 tits within the walls of the superstructure and has its side walls 18 provided with slots 19 through which the rod 1G may pass in order to removably mount the cover. Guide plates 20 rest upon the bottom oi the superstructure or :trame l5 and have their inner end portions bent to form hooks Q1 which extend through the opening in the bottom el the frame and engage the end walls ot' the body portion 10 to limit the outward movement 01:' the gilide plates.

tzlide ianges extend upwardly from the outer end portions ol the guiding plates 20 and have their upper edge portions extending through slits formed in the end walls of the frame 2() to brace the flanges 22 and prevent them from being bent by a mail sack striking them. An abutment or bumper is pivotally mounted upon the rod 16 and hangs in the mail catcher in the position shown in Fig. 1. This bumper is formed from a plate of resilient material such as spring steel which is bent intermediate its length to form the bearing 23 from which there extends the two leaves 2&1. rl'hese leaves 9.1i extend in diverging relation with their lower ends extending into the body portion 10 to such an extent that when the bumper is moved toward one end of the mail catcher, one of the leaves will strike the hooked end Q1 of one ot' the guiding plates 20 and thus prevent the bumper from swinging beyond the desired amount.

The operation of this device is as follows: 'lhis mail catcher is mounted adjacent the track with the side Valls of the catcher extending parallel to the track and with the flanges Q2 positioned upon the far side of the mail catcher. The cover 18 may be put in place upon the rod 1G or if desired may be lett oil'. It is better, however, to have this cover in place so that rain and snow will be prevented 'from entering the body portion ol the mail catcher. As a train passes the station, the mail sack may be thrown into the catcher or may be suspended from suitable supporting means so that the sack will be in the proper position to pass into the mail catcher. As this mail sack passes into the mail catcher through one end thereof., it will strike the abutment or bumper and will swing the same until one of the leaves strikes the hook Q1. rlhe leaf of the bumper which is engaged by the mail sack will then take up the force of the blow and the sack will drop into the body portion 10. It is not necessary to immediately remove the sack after deposited since when the sack drops into the body portion, the bumper will return to its normal. position and the mail catcher is then ready for further use. As soon as desired the door 25 may be opened and the mail sack removed.- This mail sack can not veryeasily fail to pass into the mail catcher since the i'ianges 22 prevent the mail sack from `passing oit' of the guiding plates Q Without passing into the mail catcher.

`What is claimed is: l. A mail catcher comiirising a body porn tion having an open upper end, a superstructure carried by said body portion and having its bottom provided with an opening for permitting communication with' said body portion and having its end Walls provided with inlet openings, a pivot rod carried by said super-structure, and an abutment pivotally mounted upon said pivot rod and provided with resilient arms extending in diverging relation through the opening in the bottom of said superstructure and into said body portion, said arms being of such length that the pivotal movement of said abutment Will be limited.

2. A mail catcher comprising a body portion having an open upper end, a superstructure carried by said bodyportion and having its bottom provided With an outlet opening and having its end Walls provided with inlet openings and an abutment pivotally connected With said superstructure and provided With resilient arms extending in diverging relation through the outlet opening of said superstructure into said body portion, said arms being of such length as to limit the pivotal movement of said abutment.

n testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PETER C. FILBERT. Witnesses:l Y

FANNIE E. MONTGOMERY, S. l/V. MONTGOMERY.

'opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 4C. 

